Dozens of trapped hydropower tunnel workers in Nepal could still be alive, official says
About 46 people believed to be trapped in ‘room-like’ structure inside hydro plant tunnel on Nepal-Tibet border
Hannah Ellis-Petersen and Gaurav Pokharel in Kathmandu
Thu 3 Sep 2026 07.25 EDT
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Nepal authorities have said they are “confident” that dozens of workers in Nepal’s Rasuwagadhi hydropower plant are still alive, more than a week after deadly flash floods left them trapped in an underground chamber.
Authorities said that at least 639 workers were still missing from hydropower plants built along Nepal’s Bhote Koshi and Triushuli rivers.
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According to a preliminary estimate by the UN Development Programme, the disaster created at least 2.2m tonnes of debris, including parts of buildings, rocks and sediment. Large boulders and flood waters deluged the hydropower tunnels, blocking off the entrances, and some were buried deep in mud.
Rescue efforts have increasingly centred on these tunnels, where authorities believe workers may have survived for more than a week due to air pockets. So far, more than 270 people have been rescued from the hydropower projects.
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About 46 people believed to be trapped in ‘room-like’ structure inside hydro plant tunnel on Nepal-Tibet border
www.theguardian.com
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Sixth Press Briefing on Bhote Koshi Floods
(Thursday, 2: 15 PM, 3 September 2026)
September 03, 2026, 03:00 PM
Press Briefing on Bhote Koshi Floods
(Thursday, 2: 15 PM, 3 September 2026)
We welcome you all to this daily press briefing of the Ministry on the Bhote Koshi floods.
Our search and rescue operations continue as a significant number of people remain missing.
Today, we will provide more updates on the ongoing search, rescue and relief operations, including tunnel rescue, and the international assistance being received in this regard, among others.
As our Rt. Hon. Prime Minister mentioned yesterday in his address to the Parliament, the Government continues to mobilise all available resources for the search, rescue and relief operations in and around the affected areas.
Tunnel rescue teams from India, China and Republic of Korea continue to work in coordination with the Nepali Army. Rescue support equipment, drones, load carriers and materials received from neighbours, friendly countries and international community are being used for these operations.
As of the latest available information, 1252 bodies have been recovered from the areas, around 4,200 people still remain missing, and 11,993 people have been rescued so far, including over 300 foreign nationals, including some who are in contact and are safe. Approximately 590 foreign nationals from 34 (while Türkiye-2, Oman-1, Malta-4, Serbia-1 and Bulgaria-1) countries remain missing. We are constantly updating these figures as search and verification continue.
Updated information will continue to be made available through our website and through the relevant government agencies, particularly NDRRMA and Nepal Tourism Board.
As you know, there are many foreign nationals still missing.
The Emergency Control Room (ECR) of the Ministry continues to coordinate closely with relevant agencies, our diplomatic missions and the families of missing foreign nationals. Every day, ECR receives about two hundred enquiries from all over the world.
The emergency hotline remains fully operational from 7 am to 10 pm Nepali time. Contact details can be found on our website.
We remain in close contact, also through our diplomatic missions, with the countries and families concerned, and will continue to provide information and assistance as needed.
The search and rescue operation is continued by our agencies and security forces, with specialised international support in specific areas of expertise from India, China and Republic of Korea.
More than 9,300 Nepali Army personnel are currently deployed across the affected areas, from Timure in Rasuwa to Nuwakot, Dhading, Chitwan and Nawalparasi East, undertaking search and rescue, body management, road clearance and emergency medical assistance.
As reported by our agencies, I would like to update you on the latest status of tunnel rescue operations.
On tunnels in Chilime and Langtang: The Indian Tunnel Rescue Team is working closely with the Nepali Rescue Teams in Chilime and Langtang. They are continuing operations with the necessary equipment. An excavator is also being sent to Chilime to assist the ongoing operation.
On Langtang site: 25 Nepali Army personnel, together with two personnel from the hydropower project and drilling equipment, have opened another small hole on the upstream side of the tunnel using machines. Further work is continuing.
On Upper Trishuli 3A site: A total of 93 member rescue team is working on the ground together.
The Chinese Tunnel Rescue Team remains mobilised there and is working with the Nepali rescue team. The team has been reinforced with additional personnel and equipment.
On Upper Trishuli 3B site: A team of 67 Nepali Army personnel and three technical experts from the hydropower project are working with an excavator. The Collapsed Structure Search and Rescue (CSSR) team has also been added to the operation.
On Upper Trisuli in Haku: The Nepali Army, together with hydropower personnel, has re-entered the tunnel to continue search operations.
On Rasuwagadhi Site: Recce flights are being conducted to assess the possibility of deploying an excavator.
On Upper Trishuli 1 site: The Korean Tunnel Rescue Team continues to work with the Nepali teams to open the Upper Trishuli 1 tunnel.
- The 19-member Indian Forensic Team, the 5-member specilised forensic team from China, and the 19 out of 24 member Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) Team from Singapore are working with the Nepali teams and are expediting the ongoing DNA collection, analysis and reporting.
- The remaining members of the DVI team from Singapore will arrive today and tomorrow with drones and related accessories.
- Two forensic officials from the Republic of Korea have also joined the work recently with necessary equipment and instruments.
We have made maximum use of all expertise and resources, both available in Nepal and worldwide, and are making every possible effort to continue these operations effectively.
Relief materials have been mobilised in the affected areas and to the affected people. Additional supplies and assistance are being mobilised from other partners.
We have further requested for high capacity drones, LiDAR, bailey bridges, items for epidemic preventions, DNA testing kits, bags for human remains, flood truck rescue, mobile air traffic control system, ground penetrating radar, high accuracy laser meter, broadband seismometers, high capacity surge pump, laboratory freezers, among others.
Nepal has mobilised all resources at its disposal, but we recognise that the scale and complexity of this disaster require international solidarity. We are deeply grateful to India, China, United Kingdom, Japan, the United States, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Singapore, the Republic of Korea, Australia, the Germany, Latvia, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Myanmar, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Norway, Israel, Canada, Sri Lanka, Thailand and New Zealand, as well as the European Union, Asian Development Bank, World Bank, United Nations and other friendly countries and organisations, for their timely solidarity, assistance and support.
The extent of the damage to houses, roads, bridges, hydropower facilities and other critical infrastructure is huge.
Our preliminary assessments continue and more information will become available as these assessments complete. More comprehensive assessments will follow to find the exact loss and damage figures for rebuilding and reconstruction.
The Government continues close coordination at the highest levels, both domestically and with our neighbours and international partners.
We have already informed you about these engagements at the levels of the Prime Minister, Foreign Minister and other ministers, and will update you on more such engagements as they happen.
Earlier today, the Hon. Foreign Minister briefed the diplomatic community in Kathmandu on the disaster this morning.
This disaster carries a deeper significance beyond the immediate emergency. It is another stark reminder of the fragility of the Himalayan region, the particular vulnerabilities of mountain countries, and the growing consequences of a rapidly warming climate. Climate change is a global problem requiring global action
As you know, Nepal contributes a negligible share of global emissions, yet our people bear a disproportionate burden of the impacts of a warming Himalayas.
Nepal has consistently drawn international attention to this reality, including through the first edition of the
Sagarmatha Sambaad and through various international forums.
The lesson is clear: climate justice, effective early-warning systems, disaster preparedness and resilient reconstruction must move from commitments on paper to concrete action on the ground. We have already written a letter to the Co-Chairs of the Board of Loss and Damage Fund for immediate support.
The Government of China has facilitated the return of Nepalis and foreign nationals from Tibet through other Nepal-China borders points.
114 Nepali nationals from Kerung are en route to Nepal today through the Tatopani border point. In this context, there is a list currently circulating in social media about it saying they are rescued people, but actually this is not the case. Most of them are pass holders from Rasuwa district, who frequently travel to China for business and trade.
Approximately 1,400 Nepali nationals are currently in Kerung and we are in coordination with the Chinese side for those who want to return early.
About one hundred Nepali nationals are still missing from the Chinese side of the border on that day.
As you already know, our authorities have started the temporary burial of the bodies recovered after completing necessary forensic procedures.
The process is designed to facilitate identification at a later stage and enable families to receive the mortal remains of their loved ones for final rites once identification is established.
For this purpose, we request again the immediate family members of those missing to contact Nepal Police Hospital, Maharajgunj, Kathmandu or nearest District Police Office in Nepal.
We have officially communicated this information to the relevant countries through our diplomatic channels already.
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Let me reiterate that our priority remains to continue the ongoing search and rescue operations with a focus on tunnel rescue, locate those who are still missing, and provide continued support to everyone affected.
We express our sincere gratitude to our neighbours, friendly nations, international organisations, and development partners for their solidarity and invaluable assistance to Nepal during this difficult period.
We also extend our sincere appreciation to our media friends for their timely dissemination of accurate and verified information.
We will let you know about our next press briefing through our MoFA Media Group later.
Thank you.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Singhadurbar, Kathmandu
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